Hand-slotter.



E. B. HOFFMAN.

' HAND SLOTTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1914.

1,160,286. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

WITNESSES: IN V EN TOR:

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"a 1 FFlQ ERASTUS :B. HOFFMAN, or HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

HAND-SLOTTER.

To all whom it may concern Be it knoWn'tha-t I, ERAsTUs B. HoFFMA a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Hand-slotter, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon. I 1 a This invention'relates to a tool or implement that is designed to be used by mechanics or others, more especially on'repair work, the invention having reference more particularly to a tool that is adapted to be handled and operated by hand for cutting slots in metal, preferably for cutting slots of difierent Widths. (An object of, the invention is to provid an improved hand slotter having a plurality of'removable slotter blades which-"may be used on different kinds of metal, so that one blade may be reserved for use on metal re-' quiring sharp cutters and not likely to dull the cutters while other blades may be reserved for use on other metals, in order thatthe workman may have a convenient and always ready tool at hand for slotting purposes.

A further object of the invention is'to provide an improved hand slotter which shall be so constructed as to enable the workman to cut slots of different widths at will as may be required, so as to obviate thenecessity of keeping at hand and entailing the expense of a number of slotters in order to do a variety of work.

1A still further object is to provide animproved frame for securely holding a pinrality of slotter blades and permitready removal and: replacement of the blades, and

which shall be soconst ructed as to .be con venient forus e, cheaply produced and ellicient and economical in use.

With the above-mentioned and other objeets 'in' view, the invention consists in an improved'hand slotter having a plurality of slotter blades which are removably connected to a frame adapted to tightly hold the blades, the blades preferably differing in thickness in order. that slots of different widths may be cut by the tool or implement. The invention consists also further inthe novel "parts, and in the combinations and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

I Application filed May 29, 1914. Serial No. 841,943. r

' ticularly described and further defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved hand slotter as preferably constructed. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the slotter frame minus the slotter blades approximately on the plane indicated by the line A A in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the slotter. Fig. i is a longitudinal central section of the slotter partiallybroken away, the more important parts or features being on an enlarged scale in the interest 7 of clearness. Fig. 5 is a plan view of two of the coeperating parts of the slotter frame. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of'one of the parts of the slotter frame designed for tightening the blades in the frame "or to be adjusted to permit of removal of the blades.

Similar reference characters in the different figures of the drawings indicate-corresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to and described. 7

As preferably constructed the improved slotter frame comprises a main bar or rodv 1 provided on one end'portion with a suitable handle-Q which preferably has a ferrule 3thereon', the handle and its ferrule being suitably secured to the bar, preferably by means of a pin or rivet .4, or otherwise as may be desired. The bar 1 is suitably provided with a collar 5 which preferably is formed separately and suitably secured to the bar, preferably by means of a pin or rivet 6 and in a position adjacent to the inner end of the handle, the collar being adapted to constitutea head: cooperating to carry one end of the slotter blades. The remaining end portion of the barl-is provided with screw threads? and it is incased by'a sleeve '8constituting an adjusting nut which has screw threads 9 therein thatv cooperatewith the screw threads .7, the outer portion of'the sleeve having flat faces 10 and 11 adjacent the outer end of the sleeve to enable the sleeve to be turned by means of a wrench, the inner end portion of the sleeve preferably having a smooth bore 12 adapted to clear the screw threads 7 and fit closely on the mainportion of the bar 1 which is cylindrical. The, inner end of the sleeve has a head 13 thereon of sufficient diameter to constitute a guide collar, and a cylindrical guide 14: is formed on the sleeve adjacent'to the collar, being a relatively iii?) smaller portion of the head. The collar por- 8 tion of the head has a face extending outward from the guide 1 1 and also a shoulder 16 forming the under sideof the. head. and.

from which screw threads 17 extend that are formed on the exterior of the sleeve 8. A nut 18 is placed on the sleeve and cooperates with the screw threads 17 or the nut may be otherwise secured to the sleeve so as to constitute a collar adjacent to the face 16 and'extending outward opposite to the face 15 so as to form a guide channel between the nut or collar and the relatively large portion 13 of the head.

Two spreader plates or frame members 19 and 20 are provided which preferably are disk-like in form and identically alike, each plate or member having a central circular aperture 21 therein, one of the plates being suitablyconnected with the collar 5 so as to constitute a portion of the slotter frame,

the collar preferably having a cylindrical guide seat 22 extending to a shoulder 23 disposed opposite to the inner end of the handle 2 with space'between in which the'plate 19 is arranged, the aperture in the platereceiving the guide portion 22, this arrangement permitting'the two plates to be economically made alike. The plate 19 may be so fitted as to be-rotatable on the collar 5 if desired,

' or the plate may be rigidly fixed relative to the collar or to the handle of the frame, and it is obvious that the plate or member 19 need not of necessity-bea separate element of theframe. .The companion plate 20'is placed upon'the guide 14 which is rotatable in the aperture'21, the plate being between the shoulder orface 15 and the collar or nut 18, which permits the sleeve8 to be rotated in the plate. One plate has a plurality of radially arranged slots 24, 25, 26 and 27 extending from the periphery thereof, the companion plate having an equal number of similar slots 2a, 25, 26 and 27. In the most perfect design of the slotter frame the slots diiferin width, one slot being; suffi ciently broad to receive the thickest slotter bladethat may be desired, another slot be-..

ing slightlyless inwidth, another being still less, and the remaining slot still less ,in

width, so that a variety of blades are'ac commodated inithe frame. Suitable provision is made' for retaining the slotter blades in the frame, two wire rings 28 and 29 preferably being employed, the rings hav-- in thickness and adapted to fit closely into the slots formed in the frame plates and into which the blades are placed with the backs adjusted the retaining rings are turned so as to pass through the holes in the blades-so that the blades are" retained in the slotsby the rings which are arranged on the outer sides of the plates .19 and 20. The sleeve 8 or adjusting device is screwed outward so as to move the plate 20 in the direction away from the plate 19, with the result that the retaining rings are drawn tightly against the outer sides of the plates and cause tensional strain on the slotter blades. In case, there be slight inaccuracy in the spacing between the holes 34 and 35 the blades nevertheless are drawn; tightly because of the possibility of the plates 19 and 20 yielding slightly, being preferably composed of spring steel, so that practically uniform 'tension' is placed on all the blades and prevents the blades from springing laterally when in use.

In order to use the improved slotter the 'Of the blades seated on the bottoms of the 7 :slots. With the adjusting sleeve 8 properly It should be understood that while the Y handle 2 is held in one hand and the sleeve 8 in the remaining hand of the workman and thus conveniently .guided'and operated upon such work as may require slots for 1 receiving screw drivers,- or for forming key seats or grooves for various purposes, the tool being moved forward and backward, as when operating a hack-saw, the slotter obviously being adapted to be used in some cases as a hack-saw if desired, the thinneror narrower blades being most suitable for cutting off metal, as will be understood, and thedifferent blades are .'used for cutting slots which may be required of thewidth corresponding to the thickness of the blade.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is j z '1. Ahan'd-slotter frame including a main bar and two frame members on the'bar h'av ing each a plurality of slots to receive apertured slotter blades, and two retaining rings having each a gap therein to receive the blades, the rings being adapted to be inserted in the apertures of. the blades for coupling the blades together and retaining them in the slots.

2. In a hand-slotter, the combination with a plurality of slotter blades. having each a hole in each end portion thereof, of a frame comprising a main bar, two disks on the bar having each a plurality of slots to receive the blades, two retaining rings cooperating with the two disks respectively and extending through the holes in the respective ends of the blades, and means for forcing the disks apart.

3. In a hand-slotter, the combination of a main bar having screw threads on one end portion thereof, a handle fixedly secured to the opposite end portion of the bar, a frame member extending about the bar adjacent to the handle and secured to the bar, said member having a plurality of slots in the outer portion thereof, a sleeve rotatable on the bar and having internal screw threads engaging the screw threads of the bar, the sleeve hav- 7 in the slots.

4. In a hand-slotter, the combination of a main bar having screw-threads on one end portion, a handle fixed on the opposite end portion of the bar, a collar fixed on the bar adjacent to the handle, a frame member extending about the bar and retained by the collar to the handle, said member having a plurality of slots diifering in width in the peripheral portion thereof, a sleeve having screw-threads engaging the screw-threads of the bar, the inner end portion of the sleeve having a collar and a cylindrical guide adjacent to the collar and having external screw-threads thereon adjacent to the guide, the outer end portion of the e sleeve being constructed to constitute a handle portion and to be engaged by a wrench, a nut engaging the external screw-threads and seated against the outer side of the guide, a frame member rotatively mounted on the cylindrical guide between the nut and the collar of the sleeve and having a plurality of slots differing in Width in the peripheral portion thereof, a plurality of slotter blades differing in thickness and corresponding respectively to the different slots of the frame members and seated therein, each end portion of each blade having an opening therein to receive a retaining ring, and two non-continuous rings arranged on the outer sides of the two frame members respectively and normally extending across the slot-s therein and also through the adjacent openings of the blades for coupling the blades together and retaining them in the slots.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERASTUS B. HOFFMAN. Witnesses:

PEARL A. UMPLELY, FRANK D. BOUMAN.

Copies of this patent niay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

